Illusion
by Korra's Flareon
Summary: Following the downfall of Kuvira, an attempt to reconnect with Korra's past lives unveils secrets about the Avatar spirit. The knowledge gained shakes the foundation of everything Korra knows about herself, as the Avatar, and the art of bending itself. - Eventual Makorrasami.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: **FYI - Polyamory is based on the Greek and Latin for "many loves" (literally: poly, many + amore, love). A polyamorous relationship is a romantic relationship that involves more than two people, defined by informed consent of all participants._

_This will be a multi-chaptered, probably lengthy story. Yes, the endgame will be Makorrasami, a bisexual, polyamorous relationship. However, this story will focus on the lore of the Avatar world just as much as romance. The story begins post-Book 4 Finale._

_I will update as each chapter is produced. Thanks for reading!_

* * *

><p>"I hate to ask, but... are you sure we're heading in the right direction?"<p>

At Asami's words, Korra stops to rest her weight against a fat tree trunk. These trees span hundreds of feet upward and surround the two women in every direction. It's a struggle to even climb over their roots, thick and gnarled with crevices in between that attempt to snag your shoes. The odd spirit that occasionally pops out from a dark hole fails to make this adventure any more enjoyable.

This place is quite different from the flowering fields, winding rivers and other mystical landscapes they've passed through already. It's nothing like Iroh's teashop, with his spirit friends and tea blends and desserts—Asami loved it there, having played Pai Sho with the old man for hours.

Korra has seen darker lands in the spirit world than this forest, though, so she isn't as nervous as Asami seems to be. This place can't be evil, what with sunlight streaming down through the treetops, vines hanging from their limbs and reaching out to connect the trees as one. And the local spirits aren't spiders or centipedes or ghastly monsters for which Korra has no words to describe them. They're just animals, sentient vegetables and other nonsensical creatures.

"I don't know. Something is telling me to go this way," Korra says, though her voice is uncertain. For the past day, a part of her has been nagging, insistently leading her in this direction. Her feet haven't wanted to stray elsewhere. "Maybe it's Raava."

"I trust your judgment, then," Asami replies simply.

That is, perhaps, one of the best aspects of Asami: she lets Korra make her own decisions, even if that means wandering through unfamiliar, less-than-welcoming terrain in a realm she knows very little about.

They've been in the spirit world for six days now. It's almost time to return home, or at least resupply their backpacks. But Korra can't bring herself to leave yet, not with this strange feeling beckoning her forth.

_Is_ it the light spirit Raava leading her somewhere? Or is it something else?

"Don't worry. I'll keep you safe," Korra tries to promise with more confidence, stepping away from the tree to resume their journey. If anything is certain, it is Korra's will to keep her loved ones free of harm.

"You always do," Asami agrees.

* * *

><p>Nearly two hours after they first entered the forest, a feeling of relief overcomes Korra when she finally glimpses something peculiar through the hardwoods. Within a circle of trees hangs a gigantic stone building, suspended upside-down in the air far above their heads. Thick curling vines loop through pane-less windows and around towers, holding what looks to be a palace, a <em>castle<em>, securely in position, high in the sky. Its tallest spire points to the ground like an arrow falling to earth.

"What is it?" Asami asks in wonder. She moves to step around Korra and into the clearing beneath the structure, but Korra reaches a hand out to stop her.

The sight itself is unfamiliar. But Korra can remember bits of their friend Jinora's description of such a place: an epic building to behold, suspended in the trees, guarded by a great owl spirit... The airbender's dragonfly bunny, Furry Foot, brought her there before.

"I think this is a spirit library," Korra says slowly. She tries to remember what Jinora had said. This must be the same library she spoke of. Thankfully there is no sign of its keeper, but Korra doesn't want to push their luck. "Its guardian, Wan Shi Tong, is the spirit of knowledge. We shouldn't disturb him."

"That's a _library_?"

Korra takes Asami's hand in her own, urging her to take another step backward. Asami raises her eyebrows in surprise, but Korra insists. "Wan Shi Tong helped Unalaq capture Jinora, just before Harmonic Convergence. He doesn't like humans. If he knew we were here..."

She doesn't want to start a fight with a spirit ever again. Korra remembers how meerkat spirits had reacted during her first visit to this realm. Here, the world changes around you according to your emotions; it would be all too easy to be swallowed by the earth and spat out somewhere new, separated from Asami, if things became dicey.

"It's okay, Korra. I'm not afraid." Asami looks back up to the library, letting her gaze drift over the tall stone towers jutting downward toward the ground. "It just seems... magical. So _big!_ There must be a million books in there."

"... I guess so. They've probably been collecting information here since written language became a thing."

Perhaps that was the wrong thing to say. Korra doesn't like the expression that overcomes Asami's face at her words, a smile growing as realization brightens her features. She has seen that look before whenever Asami had a sudden burst of inspiration, like when she thought to construct a sand-sailer to escape the Si Wong desert years ago.

No good can come from Asami making _that_ face while looking at _that_ building.

"Do you think the library would have a section on just the Avatars?"

Korra becomes uncomfortable from Asami's train of thought. What is she thinking about doing? They have no business going in there. It shouldn't matter if there's a section or not.

"Probably," Korra answers cautiously, unable to tell a lie to her. Hand still holding Asami's, she squeezes, pulling Asami's attention back to her instead of the library's exterior. "But we can't go in there. I'm not going to risk placing you in harm's way. Not after everything that's happened."

"A spiritual part of you led us here," Asami reminds her. She laces her warm fingers through Korra's, then hesitates, opening and then closing her mouth as if she wants to say more but is struggling to do so. Considering her words carefully, Asami finally says, "I think you should try to find a way to reconnect to your past lives, one more time. There may be relevant information here regarding the Avatar spirit."

_Oh._

Korra looks down to the hard-packed dirt beneath their shoes. She doesn't want to think about the past Avatars, their bond that she'd lost due to her own gullibility. If she had never trusted Unalaq, the spirit portals would never have been opened, Vaatu would never have escaped, and they together would not have destroyed Raava. They wouldn't have destroyed the hundreds of lifetimes of her past.

She shakes her head. "They're gone, Asami. I felt their spirits disintegrate. The slate was wiped clean when Raava was reborn."

"You should try. I know they were important to you."

Asami cannot even comprehend how important they had been. A tightness pangs in Korra's chest and her eyes sting at the reminder that she will never feel Aang's or Wan's presences again. Never again will she, or any of her future lifetimes, be able to contact those from their collective past.

To say she has been a disgrace to the Avatar cycle would be the greatest understatement of all time.

Asami leans in, trying to get a better look at Korra's face. Though Korra isn't crying—she's had _years_ to cry about this tragedy, it's no new thing—her face is twisted to reveal her discomfiture with the subject.

After a few moments of silence, realizing she will not receive a reply, Asami continues speaking. "If nothing else, we might be able to find more information about the past Avatars. This could help you."

"Help me, how?"

"... _Korra._ Please."

Asami surprises Korra by pulling her into a full embrace.

After a small delay, Korra hugs her back, focusing on the feel of Asami's jacket under her palms and chin and the faint scent of her sweet perfume. Anything but the memory of Avatar Aang, wise, patient and kind, gone for eternity.

"I know you've had a difficult time coming to terms with what being the Avatar truly means," Asami murmurs into Korra's hair. "Aside from bending all four elements and helping the world achieve balance. There's more to it than that. Hard sacrifices have been made, for you most of all."

Korra presses her face into the other woman's neck, and Asami in turn responds, slipping her hands under Korra's backpack to her spine and holding her close. "I am so proud of and amazed by everything you have done," Asami praises. "You have inner strength most can only dream of. But without the other Avatars to guide you, I'm afraid you have been lost for a long time."

"I'm not—"

"You are." Asami pulls herself partially away from Korra, keeping her embraced with one arm while the other raises to touch the crown of Korra's head. "I think you're lost, here." That hand drifts down, fingers lingering against her cheek. "If we could learn more about the Avatar cycle, maybe we could find a way to recover your connection to the others... I just don't want to see you suffer anymore."

Asami is wrong about her strength. On their path toward world peace, Asami has lost just as much—she may not have had past lives to lose, but Asami has lost her father, and her company, more than once. Thanks to Kuvira's giant mech, she has _nothing_ now. To be able to push through her sorrow is something Korra has had difficulty doing, ever since she'd first arrived in Republic City several years ago.

If Korra is made of strong stuff, Asami is stronger tenfold.

"I'm not suffering," Korra says, but the words taste foul on her tongue. This doesn't feel like _suffering_—it is a bit of grief, perhaps. It is loss. But they were victorious in defeating Kuvira, and Korra and Asami are now vacationing in a vividly colorful, mysterious land. For the past six days, she hasn't felt as if she has _suffered_. Things are better here than in the material world. "I'm happy with you, Asami."

Asami smiles a bit, but it's a sad expression. She presses her forehead to Korra's and sighs.

"I am not the solution to your problems," Asami says. She rubs a thumb across Korra's cheekbone, watching the Avatar with a visible mixture of emotions. "Running away isn't the solution, either. I know I have no room to speak, since I ran away, too. I abandoned the city when it needed my help the most. But..."

What a pair they are. It almost makes Korra want to laugh at how tragic their lives have been thus far. Only together, Korra thinks, will they manage to get through this terrible time. A part of personal growth comes from input from external sources, and Korra knows she needs to hear Asami's perspective on this... even if it is hard to swallow.

Somehow, this non-bending, intelligent, kind, beautiful engineer of a woman relates to Korra on every level others could not. Asami had become Korra's dearest friend following Harmonic Convergence, and even three years of separation could not shake their feelings for one another. If nothing else, their time apart allowed Korra to reflect on exactly how Asami made her feel.

In Asami's concerned embrace, under a shady canopy of trees in a world where no other humans may bother them, Korra feels loved. And she loves, just the same. Their week away from the real world has provided them plentiful time for such hand-holds and embraces, playful kisses stolen beneath white-blue cherry blossoms and along sandy riverbeds. Their relationship has been slow-going, but they both seem to know it's something _real_. And that is enough.

Standing here now, Korra builds her courage, then shifts herself forward a few inches until her lips meet Asami's. The other woman jumps, not expecting the action in the middle of serious conversation.

Thankfully, Asami chuckles before kissing her back.

It's a chaste kiss more than anything. Korra pulls herself away before she can enjoy it too much. The feel of Asami's lips is amazing, plush and full and parting just slightly beneath her own, tempting her to press forward, to forget their painful conversation and just live in the moment instead.

But this isn't the time for kissing. She won't disregard her girlfriend's words.

"Thank you," Korra tells her quietly. "I think I needed to hear this from you."

Korra looks up at the library suspended high above them. It's intimidating to even consider going in there, knowing Wan Shi Tong had sided with Unalaq before. He is no friend of theirs. An innate part of her doesn't trust this place... And yet, as Asami had said, a part of Korra has _called_ her here. There has to be a reason for it.

If reading books is something Asami really believes may help, then she will try it.

"I will ask for Wan Shi Tong's assistance," Korra decides. "But you stay close to me, okay? I won't hesitate to fight him if he tries to hurt you."

"_And why would I try to hurt _her?"

The cold, echoing voice that suddenly joins them startles the women apart. They both scramble to face the way they'd come.

A white-faced owl, with ashy black feathers and a height thrice as tall as any man's, peers at them from around a particularly broad tree.

Cocking his head in curiosity, he drawls, "You seem to already know humans are not allowed here."


	2. Chapter 2

Wan Shi Tong's appearance isn't quite what Korra had expected. He's just... a barn owl.

A twenty foot tall one, of course, but still only a bird.

With dark, beady eyes trained on them, the spirit waddles out from his hiding place behind a tree. Korra isn't sure how much of their conversation he's managed to hear with the ears of a predatory animal, but he's heard enough to know that Korra would fight him, if necessary, to protect her friend.

Ever the smart one, Asami instinctively knows to step behind her. The non-bender's electrified glove was left behind in the material world, and even a human skilled in martial arts would stand no chance against such a spirit. Korra, at least, still has her bending.

"Hello," Korra starts. She clears her throat and raises herself taller, trying not to look so flustered in front of him. There is a hierarchy of power here, and legendary entities such as Koh the Face-Stealer, the Mother of Faces, and the Spirit of Knowledge all command respect. Even so, Korra decides not to apologize for the challenging statement she's made. "My name is Korra, and I'm the Avatar. We come seeking knowledge from your library."

"The _Avatar_, hmm?" Wan Shi Tong flexes his long talons into a root beneath him until it begins to splinter. His voice is almost haughty as he speaks. "If I have met one Avatar, I have met them all. What makes you so special?"

He isn't impressed. But that isn't surprising, as many spirits have not been impressed by her title. Korra isn't sure how long some of these spirits have existed, and it would make sense that those like Wan Shi Tong have met her past lifetimes. Korra is just one of many Avatars to have passed through this realm.

She likely isn't the first to be intimidated by Wan Shi Tong, either.

That gives her a slightest bit of hope that this library _will_ contain something useful. If other Avatars have been here, maybe they have left something important behind over the millenia. An autobiography, research notes, a step-by-step guide on how to reconnect to one's past lives, perhaps?

"I am looking for information on the Avatar spirit," Korra explains to the owl, "or a way to possibly reconnect with the previous Avatars. My connection to the others was severed when Unalaq and Vaatu destroyed Raava during Harmonic Convergence."

Wan Shi Tong's head straightens as he considers her words. This is news to him, apparently. Not many people know she has been unable to contact the past Avatars; it had never been made public knowledge for a multitude of reasons, her abysmal reputation being just one of them.

"An Avatar without the Light Spirit is not an Avatar at all," he states, but he takes a step closer as if intrigued. The inquisitive look on his heart-shaped face reminds her of a bird of prey stalking a mouse more than a spirit greeting an old friend. The manner in which his beak moves, not quite matching the sound of his voice, is unnerving. "I sense a lightness in you. Are you sure she has gone?"

"I _have_ Raava," Korra clarifies. "She was reborn from Vaatu, as darkness cannot exist without light. She returned to me, but the other Avatars are gone, and I can't— I haven't been able to consult with them."

Wan Shi Tong stares.

It abruptly occurs to Korra that perhaps explaining everything to him is a moot point. Clearly Wan Shi Tong sided with Unalaq because he _wanted_ Vaatu to win. He wanted Raava and the Avatar destroyed, for ten thousand years of darkness and chaos to reign.

_He is neutrally aligned_, a womanly voice from inside Korra speaks. The Avatar is startled for the second time in one minute—she hasn't heard Raava's voice since she first re-entered the spirit world with Zaheer's guidance. Behind her, Asami doesn't seem to notice any voices. The sound must only be inside of Korra's head.

_What?_ Korra thinks loudly, hoping Raava can hear her. _Neutrally aligned?_

_The Knowledge Spirit desires spiritual prosperity above all else_._ Offer him this._

"I am not sure if my books can help you," Wan Shi Tong discloses. He eyes the two women contemplatively, looking little like the dreadfully evil beast Jinora had described. His so-called 'fox minions' are nowhere to be found, as well. "You are the Avatar that opened the portals, correct?"

_Spiritual prosperity,_ Korra thinks. _Spiritual..._

_Of course!_ Wan Shi Tong only wanted Unalaq to win so both worlds could be ruled by spirits once again. Opening the portals has only increased the amount of spirituality in the physical world. Wan Shi Tong may have actually _appreciated_ her opening them—she has already granted his wish for prosperity, hasn't she?

Wan Shi Tong may not hate her after all.

Asami touches her knuckles to Korra's back, grounding herself there in wordless support.

Hope overtakes the nervousness inside of Korra. She tries to keep her tone even as she speaks. "Yes. I purposefully left the northern and southern portals open after Harmonic Convergence so that humans and spirits could live together peacefully. The third portal is located in Republic City, my home and the centerpoint of mixed cultures in the human world. I believe spirits will be happy there."

The owl doesn't need to know that the third portal's creation had been a complete accident, caused by bending the energy from a gigantic, vine-powered death ray. It is better to let him believe she has always been on his side, right?

"You are a friend to spirits, as Unalaq was," Wan Shi Tong acknowledges before bowing slightly. Any offense she may have taken from his words, being compared to her uncle, is eclipsed by surprise from the owl's apparent sincerity. "Thank you for opening the portals, Avatar. But I cannot allow humans in my library. Your kind only desires knowledge to gain power, and the Avatar has never been an exception to that."

The knuckles against Korra's back flatten into a palm. Asami steps forward, lining herself up directly beside her.

"Excuse me, Knowledge Spirit," Asami voices without hesitation. Korra shoots her a confused frown, but the other woman ignores her. "I am Asami Sato, the sole CEO of Future Industries, the company that created satomobiles, mecha tanks and biplanes. My company also helped rebuild Republic City's infrastructure and constructed the international railroad system. If you help us, I would be willing to give you information and blueprints of the technological advancements made by my company."

Wan Shi Tong cocks his head again. "_Your_ company made all of these things? I have heard rumors of these... _biplanes_, the metal contraptions that fly as spirits do, but have received nary a sketch of one."

The barest hint of a smile flirts on Asami's lips. "Yes, they are real. Future Industries also played a role in a few human conflicts, war profiteering and such... Would you be interested in our bookkeeping records? It's _quite_ scandalous."

The owl's wings ruffle and suddenly he laughs, deep and loud, the sound echoing as if coming from down within a well. "I see you've brought an intellectual with you, Avatar. That is an improvement. The last time you were here, as Avatar Aang, your friends were not considerably bright."

Korra doesn't know how to respond. Asami, a human with no bending ability nor extensive experience with spirits, has made Wan Shi Tong, the mighty spirit of knowledge, _laugh_.

By joking about... finances? War?

But, at the mention of her past life's name, hope surges again. If Aang the peaceful air nomad Avatar had been here, there must be countless other Avatars who have entered the library as well, seeking guidance, knowledge or power.

"I do not care for human toys," the owl continues, sobering himself up. "However, your offer is... tempting, if just for scholastic purposes. War profiteering, you say? _Really?_"

"I will make it worth your while," Asami promises.

"Certainly." He steps forward even further until he's just several feet away from them. One wing unfurls from his side, and its tip, covered in long, black feathers, reaches out to touch Asami. She does not flinch as Wan Shi Tong touches the gear-shaped logo on her jacket's shoulder, proof of her association with the company. She does not blink as he retracts his wing and hunches over, bringing his small beak level to her face. "You intrigue me, Miss Sato. I have met many Avatars and their lovers, young and old alike, but never before have I met a pair of the fairer sex."

Korra feels her cheeks flush with warmth and she half-steps away from Asami.

"Ah, we're not... we're not _lovers_," Korra stammers embarrassedly. Immediately, she wants to retract that statement, knowing Asami has heard her. There is no shame in their relationship—it's been great, truly, but everything is still so _new_, and _scary_, and— "I mean, we're not lovers _yet_. We haven't done the... love... stuff."

Asami hides her face with one hand, but Korra can hear a stifled snort of laughter.

Korra wants to earthbend herself into the ground.

"Interesting, indeed," Wan Shi Tong says, nonplussed. He raises himself up to his normal height. "Very well. If you bring enough material to add to my collection, Miss Sato, you and the Avatar may peruse my library for however long you need."

Asami lowers her hand to peer up at the spirit. Her mouth twitches as she tries to keep a straight face. "Thank you. Do you mind if we return with one more friend?"

"Bring blueprints of those planes for me," Wan Shi Tong says as he expands his wings, preparing for flight, "and you may bring whomever you wish."

* * *

><p>Korra and Asami return to Republic City as soon as they part ways with the owl.<p>

Asami had the bright idea to bring Jinora with them to the library. The airbender is well-versed in spiritual matters, _and_ she enjoys reading books more than either one of them. The spirit library seems exactly like her kind of place.

Unfortunately, back in the physical world, Jinora isn't interested in joining them.

"I have things to do here," Jinora says as she folds freshly-washed sheets and blankets for the civilians currently located in shelters. Kai is helping her, though he is admittedly less skilled at doing chores. "_Some_ of us can't spare the time to go on a vacation right now."

There is a unwarranted edge to her voice that bothers Korra.

"I stopped Kuvira," Korra reminds them irritatedly. She still has tender bruises from that battle, deep scratches from being slammed and rolled across the ground. "I saved this city _and_ I ended a war, once again. Isn't that enough? What would you like me to do next, make some special Avatar soup for the homeless?"

"It would help," Jinora says plainly.

Something hot flares within Korra, but before she can snap some rude retort back, Asami grabs her arm and tugs her aside. "It's okay," Asami says, "we can just go by ourselves."

"We're just stressed," Kai interjects. Jinora sets down a half-folded sheet, and Kai glances at her with a worried expression. "Jinora had to take over directing the other airbenders, since Tenzin is helping President Raiko with his plans to expand the city. We are all trying to help the people whose homes were destroyed.

"Civilians are trickling back in now that the threat of war is gone, but we don't have room for everyone. There is just so much to do here. But it's okay if you two leave... I mean, Korra, you _did_ win the war for us. You deserve a break. And Asami, you..."

Everyone falls silent. It is true that Asami needs time away just as much as Korra. She needs to be relieved of her duties. The death of her father and the destruction of her company must have taken a toll on her mental wellbeing, even if Asami is too stubborn to show just how much it has affected her.

"It's alright. You don't have to mince your words around me." Asami's hand lingers against Korra's arm before releasing her. "I'll go find those papers to give to Wan Shi Tong. And I should probably speak with Raiko, he'll be wanting my input. Can you pack our bags, Korra?"

"Sure."

Asami moves to leave the room, eyes averted, but Korra stops her. "We can leave in the morning, okay, Asami?"

"Okay. The mansion is still in one piece, so I guess I'll just— I'll be there. Let me know when you're ready."

Korra leans forward to kiss the corner of Asami's mouth. "Okay."

"Okay."

Korra smiles, attempting to comfort her girlfriend, and Asami returns the expression.

When Asami finally does leave, Korra finds Kai staring at her with widened eyes. "Whoa."

Jinora nudges her boyfriend with an elbow. "Hush. I _told_ you they were a thing now. Congratulations, by the way."

The Avatar grins at them.

Kai's gaze meanders around the room until he finds the big stack of unfolded blankets. Hesitantly, he picks one up, as if needing something to occupy his hands and detract attention from the elephant-koi in the room. "So, uh. I _was_ gonna tell you to bring Mako to the library. He likes books, and he's a pretty smart detective, so maybe he could be helpful. But I guess it would be kinda awkward now with just the three of you in there, huh?"

Korra's expression begins to deflate. Mako... Of course Mako would be a great help. He is probably the best alternative to Jinora, aside from perhaps the studious Tenzin, who is far too busy to even consider asking. But Mako is recovering from second-degree burns on his arm, and it's true that he would probably feel awkward if he knew both of his ex-girlfriends were now dating one another.

"He doesn't know about us yet," Korra admits. "Do you think he'll be upset?"

Kai and Jinora share a look.

"No, I don't think so," Kai says.

* * *

><p>Korra thinks idly about Mako, off and on, for several hours.<p>

A long, hot shower on Air Temple Island works to knock the kinks out of her back. Sleeping outdoors for a week has not been a wholly pleasant experience, and the one thin bedroll split between her and Asami did little more than work as a barrier between the two of them and the ground.

Korra packs everything they may need for another week, _they_ meaning her, Asami, and... well. She still isn't sure if she wants to invite him or not.

She does, because it's Mako.

But she also doesn't, because it's _Mako._

While debating with herself, the rations she scrounges up are basic: a few tin cans of vegetables, jerky, crackers, rice. Clean water is fortunately plentiful in the spirit world; every body of water the women have come across has been freakishly crystal clear, cool and refreshing. She washes their eating bowls and Asami's water canteen in the Air Temple's kitchen, where she finds Ikki, little Rohan, and Opal's artsy brother, Huan, preparing lunch for the dozen others scrambling around the island. Pema is out today with the Beifong twins, surprisingly enough, helping dislocated families pull important belongings from the rubble of what was once their homes.

Everyone is working together to restore peace to these strangers' lives. It makes Korra feel strange, and a bit guilty, knowing everyone else is going above and beyond the call to help. None of the Beifongs except for Suyin's husband has returned home, his reasoning being to help their hometown of Zaofu return to a state of normalcy.

Suyin has left for Ba Sing Se with Wu, with plans to turn their country into something more democratic in the near future. Bolin and Opal are away, either helping the people or making out somewhere private—Ikki doesn't know the details. Korra doesn't think to ask what newlywed Varrick and his wife are up to.

According to Ikki, Mako is curiously absent from the group. She has only seen him once as he visited the healers. Even then, she said, he looked to be in poor condition.

Korra becomes resolved to visit him before she leaves again. His wounds are serious, even now as they heal, and it just won't do to have the firebender become sickly. Infection is a very real concern.

When everything is packed and the sun has begun to set for the day, Korra heads to Mako's apartment under the presumption that he is there. With neither Bolin nor a job to occupy his time, there isn't any other place she expects him to be.

Located in a more centric district of downtown Republic City, the entire apartment complex has not had its electricity returned yet. She scales several darkened flights of stairs up to his floor with ease, but she wonders how the experience must be for him, exerting himself if he is in pain. No wonder Mako hasn't left this place often.

The thought of his arm reminds Korra of the nerve damage she'd received from metallic poison years ago. It had crippled her lower limbs. Those nerves have healed over time, the poison is now gone, and her feelings toward Zaheer are now slightly-just-barely-less than hateful, but the bitter memory lingers nonetheless. She wonders if Mako has begun pushing people away just as she had during the recovery process.

The building is eerily silent save for her footsteps.

When she reaches his door, another memory strikes her, this one from the days when things were unbroken between them.

"_You don't have to knock,"_ Mako had told her, _"not ever,"_ before pulling her inside, pulling her into him, onto him. Years ago they would spend nights together here—she would sneak away from the Temple while Mako would arrange some way to get his brother out of the building. And for a while, it was easy, and it was fun.

They were teenagers pretending to be adults. Still naïve, before the real world had caved in around them. But Korra supposes Mako's always been more in touch with reality than she'd been.

Her fingertips linger on the cool bronze of the doorknob. Reaching out with her senses alone, she can feel the mechanism inside latched into place. It's locked, of course. Mako is nothing if not cautious. With a twitch of one finger, she metalbends the lock open.

There isn't really a premeditated plan in her mind when she enters his apartment without announcing her presence. With a look around inside, she begins to question if he is even home. It's even darker within because his window shades are drawn.

She trips over some misplaced object on the floor. It makes her wonder when the boy she knew became a man she knows less. He was always so clean before, a neatnik perfectionist.

Bending a small fire in her palm to light her way, she heads to his bedroom.

He's there, just as she expects. When she was depressed, she'd had an irregular sleep cycle, too.

Korra holds a strange fondness for Mako's appearance as he sleeps: all the guarded, harsh lines of his face soften and his mouth falls slack. It is a kind look he wears in slumber, not unlike his fleeting happier expressions.

The firelight illuminates him just enough for Korra to see his sprawled form. The bad left arm, still in dressings and in its sling, rests laid across the secondary injury he'd received on his abdomen.

So stupid he'd been, single-handedly taking down the power source within Kuvira's mech. So brave.

Korra leans against the doorjamb to his room, content to watch him be at peace with the world, without pain, if just for a little while longer.


	3. Chapter 3

Patience has never been Korra's strong suit.

She forces herself to let Mako rest. Although it's been well over a week since the battle against Kuvira's Colossus, she doesn't wish to disturb him after everything he's sacrificed for their cause. Clearly Mako has had plenty of time to sleep since then, but his wounds were severe enough to hospitalize him for days. A part of Korra still worries. The only person who was hurt _more_ than Mako, Asami's father, is dead.

The possibility of Mako losing that arm is all too real, the healers feel, if the spirit energy that struck him has critically damaged his muscles.

She remembers the night following the battle, sitting in a nearby hospital's room as Mako attempted to convince two nurses that his arm would be okay. He clenched his left fist for them, despite their protests for him not to, cracking the brittle, burned flesh on his knuckles until it began to bleed. Korra smacked his head for that, but she was thankful, _so_ thankful, that the muscles below were not as ruined as his skin was.

He disclosed later that the arm felt as if the muscles were ripped in some places. They still don't know whether he will ever regain full motion of his hand and wrist.

There is far less danger of him losing the arm now, but recovering from such things takes time. She assumes Mako is feeling a bit down because he's been placed on bedrest by Chief Beifong, and none of their friends will let him help get the city back up and running. Everyone has been coddling him as if he were an injured child.

The fact that Korra doesn't want to bother Mako, either, proves that she is acting just as badly as everyone else. He would probably appreciate being given something to do. He can read books with just one arm, can't he? Mako may need some time away just as much as she and Asami will need that brain of his.

She can hear his breathing, soft and slow, and tries to match her own exhales with his. Korra sits with her legs crossed on the floor of his bedroom, watching the small flame in her palm as it breathes, too, casting dancing shadows on his wooden furniture. The light grows, shrinks and grows again with their rhythm.

When Korra was seven years old, one evening she became so sick of studying waterbending techniques that she began firebending instead. She'd had trouble maintaining fire in her little hands, mostly because she'd yet to have any formal training in the art, but she still tried to see how long she could hold it. In the process of counting seconds into numbers greater than her young mind was familiar with, she'd become distracted, and the flame had died.

She doesn't bother counting the seconds now. After a long while, she loses her focus and the fire flickers out, sending Mako's bedroom into a state of near-complete blackness.

How can he, a firebender, be comfortable in such a dark place?

Rekindling the flame in her hand, she stands.

She finally decides to wake him with a nudge to the shoulder and a quiet yet firm, _"Mako."_

The content-looking expression on his snoozing face contorts into a grimace. He opens his eyes to blink at her blearily. Sitting up a little, he squints toward the light. "Korra?"

"Hi, Mako. I came to see you." She welcomes herself to an empty space on the left side of his bed. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." He sighs deeply, rubbing a hand over his face for a moment before sitting straighter. He leans toward her, then around, propping himself carefully on the elbow of his damaged arm as he reaches over to his bedside table. There's a few unlit candles there—_oh, right,_ she thinks dumbly—and Mako lights them with bending from his right hand. Korra extinguishes her fire once more.

He doesn't look so bad up close, just sleepy. She can tell he hasn't used product in his hair today because its waving a bit, chaotic, as if he'd washed it but hadn't bothered to style it. Korra notices that he is still shaving his face, though, and that's a good sign. Perhaps he isn't feeling so down after all. Or perhaps self-cleanliness is something that's simply engrained into him.

"Did you eat today?" she asks.

"Yeah, stop worrying," Mako grumbles. "I said I'm fine."

Yes, he's certainly tired of people babying him. This doesn't stop Korra from touching her palm to his forehead. He isn't clammy or warm or cold, just normal. No serious infection then. When he swats her hand away, she doesn't protest.

"When was the last time you changed your dressings?"

"I don't know. Yesterday," Mako answers. They both look down to his sling. "It's not seeping as much. There's new skin growing."

"You should let me look at it."

He doesn't say anything. _Stubborn man._

His apartment is gloomy even in the candlelight. The last time he'd lit candles for her, years ago, they'd been in this same bedroom but in an entirely different mood. His once-perfect hair had been disheveled after she'd gotten a hold of it that night, too... Trying not to blush, she looks away from him.

She needs to speak with him about visiting the spirit library, but... perhaps not here. And she should try to heal his arm a bit since he hasn't been visiting the hospital as often as he should.

"It's so dark in here, Mako," Korra complains. "Get dressed and we'll head over to Asami's, alright? I'll see if I can heal your arm."

He listens to her, thankfully. He changes his clothes without needing assistance, donning a gray changshan and dark trousers that look newer than the rest of his clothes. When she asks about his attire, he explains that since Wu has left, he's had no need for his old uniform.

After he fixes his hair, Mako and Korra leave his damnable apartment building and head to Asami's mansion.

One of the perks of living in a upper-class neighborhood is that Asami's place has already had its electricity restored. Korra sits Mako in a chair in one of the mansion's powder rooms and carefully unwinds the dressings from his arm. He should be changing the gauze wraps twice per day and applying ointment, but it's apparent he's been slacking a little with it.

"You need to keep this clean," she chastises as she carefully bends warm water over his burns. He winces and flinches as the liquid swipes across raw and cracked areas. "I know it hurts, but change your dressings more often, Mako. And _visit the healers_. If you can't reach them, I will personally make sure one will come to you, even if that means hauling my own butt over to your apartment to heal you myself."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'm serious! You don't want to get gangrene and lose this thing, do you?" She finishes cleaning and moves away to dump the water down the sink drain. When she glances back at him, she realizes Mako is attempting to tame a smile. "What?"

"I can only imagine what you will be like as a mother." He shakes his head before letting it fall, but his smile grows as he speaks. "You're so protective. Overbearing. You have more ferocity in your little finger than a thousand moose-lions do in their whole bodies."

"_Overbearing,_" she repeats, though more than just that word catches her off-guard. Moose-lions are a cliché for being ridiculously over-protective of their calves. And she isn't sure if being _ferocious_ is a compliment here or not. "Well, I care about you. And— _ugh_. Nevermind. You think I'll have kids?"

"Half a dozen at minimum," Mako confirms. "A horde."

The very concept seems ridiculous to her. Ever since she was tiny, her sole focus was being the _Avatar_, the savior of the world. Family would be secondary, if it played a role in her life at all. A part of her eventually fancied the idea that, if she found the right guy, maybe one or two children would do—but that was before she began to love another woman.

"If anyone will have that many kids, it will be Bolin," Korra says dismissively. "He needs someone to laugh at his jokes."

Korra gathers a smaller amount of water from the faucet. This time, she lets the liquid conform to the shape of his forearm, then presses some _in_, pushing the water through his skin and into the muscle. He muffles a cry of pain and kicks out spasmodically with one leg—it hurts, she knows, _she knows_, and she apologizes more than she probably has to. Waterbending healing is not always a painless act.

Bending water in this way, Korra is able to feel, to sense, the condition of his arm beneath the skin. The water glows as she attempts to heal any burned flesh she can find. She is not as proficient at sensing the damaged tissues as her sifu Katara is, but she can still heal the general area.

Relief overcomes Mako's face once she withdraws the water. He leans back in his chair, sweat beading on his brow and panting.

The difference in his arm before and after her treatment is barely noticeable. They look together at the angrily red skin. One spot at his wrist begins bleeding, so she gives him a towel to press against it.

"Waterbending won't do much for the scarring, will it?" Mako asks as Korra prepares everything she'll need for wrapping it.

"The skin will heal the same way it would naturally, only more quickly," Korra says. "If something scars, it scars. But healing will help with the pain and recovery time." It feels like she's lying through her teeth about the last part—this session has only seemed to cause him more pain. She couldn't really _feel_ his flesh being repaired. But she's never healed such a serious burn before, and definitely not one caused by spirit energy.

"Anyway, battle scars aren't so bad, especially on a man," Korra continues in an attempt to change the subject. "Once this is healed up you'll have women flocking to you. _The man that destroyed the Colossus._" She considers that for a few seconds before chuckling. Mako has probably done more to save Republic City than she has, this time around. "You do realize, Mako, that your name will be in history books?"

"Right alongside yours." He smiles at her even as she begins spreading cold ointment over his burns with her fingertips. "I've already been all over the newspaper. Someone showed me an Earth Kingdom copy. It was terribly flattering, even if it did use my mugshot."

"I thought you liked being in the spotlight, mister pro-bender."

"Yeah, well... Things change with time. Some things."

She considers those words as she wraps his arm, starting with his fingers and palm, winding the gauze all the way up to his elbow. He watches her work, and she can feel his eyes lingering on her face rather than her hands, just a few feet away from his own. When she glares at him, he finally shifts his attention toward the miniature shelf of towels in the room.

When she is about to secure the last of the gauze, Asami knocks on the powder room's door before entering. Carrying a tray in her arms, she explains, "I made some hot tea for you both. Black, if that's alright."

They both thank her. Korra ties the gauze and tucks the knot under the edge near his elbow, but instructs Mako to remain seated.

She meets Asami in the doorway. The tea was most likely a ruse to give her an excuse to check up on them. "Give me another minute alone with him," Korra whispers to her girlfriend. "I haven't asked yet."

Asami grins. When Korra told her that she wanted Mako to join them, Asami was all for it—they've remained fairly good friends while Korra was away. Asami, too, believes Mako would be a great help in the spirit library. "Good luck," Asami says enthusiastically. "I know he'll say yes."

When Asami departs down the hall, Korra brings Mako's cup of tea to him. He wears a confused expression, looking toward where Asami had been standing.

Korra needs to speak with him now before she loses her nerve. They're leaving for the spirit world in the morning and she'll need him there beside her.

She suddenly comes to the realization that water from the spirit world may be able to fully heal his arm. Perhaps she could submerge his entire body and heal his head, too, and then he wouldn't be feeling so sorry for himself. Spirit water seems to work miracles, after all.

After being poisoned, depression is something she has begun to take more seriously than ever. She knows all too well how easy it is to feel useless when you _should_ be strong, you _should_ be able to help others, but you can't.

Korra leans her backside against the counter, appraising Mako as he raises his teacup to his lips, takes a sip, then turns his attention to her. She wants _him_ to speak first—how has he been feeling, really? Why hasn't he spoken to anyone about this?

"Did you want to talk to me about anything?" she asks him as she drinks her tea. "Because I know _I_ wanted to talk to _you_."

He rests his cup against the top of one thigh. His other leg bounces a little, as if he's full of nervous energy all of a sudden. "I wasn't sure if you were ready," he says before clearing his throat. "I, uh. I wanted to wait a while before I asked you. I thought this was too soon."

Korra furrows her eyebrows. "Ask me what?"

"Um..."

He is hesitant to clarify. A few seconds pass before he finally stands up, walking over to the door and closing it gently. He wants privacy for whatever it is he has to say.

When the latch clicks shut, her confusion morphs into apprehension.

_He doesn't know, _she thinks. _He doesn't know about me and Asami... and he wants to speak with me, alone. _

Mako sets his teacup on the counter beside her. His left arm hasn't been put into its sling yet, so he holds it against himself. His other hand rubs the back of his head. "Do you remember what we told each other before," he begins to say, and each soft word curls inside her like something hot and wicked and frightening, "something about _'always'_?"

She sets her own cup down beside his discarded one. Her fingers clench the edge of the counter, and as he steps closer, her eyes shut, prickling with tears. She's such a fool for not seeing this coming. There was a hint he'd given her after Varrick's wedding, meaningful words he's spoken that echoed in her ears like the declarations of eternal love they'd shared years prior. But she'd ignored his words at the wedding because she had other things, and people, on her mind.

"Of course I remember," she replies, and it feels like she's choking on the words. He's near enough that she can feel his body heat.

"I know it's been rough these past few years, and dating again probably isn't on your mind, but—"

"Mako, stop," she gasps. She juts a hand out toward him and hits the solid surface of his abdomen. Korra opens her eyes at his pained exhale, realizing she's just hit his _other_ burn, but he's so close, his presence so overwhelming that she can't stop the words from tumbling out. "No, no. I'm seeing someone else."

Korra doesn't want to see the expression he'll make now. Why is _she_ always the one to cause him pain? She was a terrible girlfriend and now she is a terrible friend. She should have fucking _realized_ that he still—

He _still_ loves her, despite her not sending him a single letter for _three years. _

Of course he does. _ Of course. _

Korra pulls away from him, not daring to look at him anymore as hot tears begin to stream down her face. It was never her intention to lead him on like this. She presses her weight against one wall, as if attempting to hide from him.

Her hand touches the cool, smooth tile of the wall, which only makes her think about Asami and cry harder. They have hurt Asami so much in the past, playing games with romance while Asami stood on the sidelines, pushed away and away again while Mako and Korra had always chosen each other.

She won't do that to Asami. She won't cheat, for one thing, physically or emotionally. Asami deserves to be treated so much better.

And Mako... They never should have said 'always'. Because, while Korra does and will always care for him, she had never wanted him to _wait_ for her.

That is what he has been doing, isn't it? Waiting?

"I'm sorry," Korra stammers to Mako as she tries to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "Please, just, don't— I didn't mean to—"

His voice cuts through hers. "Does she make you happy?"

It takes her a moment to comprehend exactly what he's said.

Does _she_. Not he.

Mako knows. Or maybe he's just guessing correctly.

"What?"

"Do you love Asami?" he speaks again. When Mako appears by Korra's side, offering her a tissue, she looks up at him with such bewilderment. But his face doesn't express anger or sadness or anything else. It's just... resigned, as if he's accepted his fate. As if in some way he knew this was coming.

"I do," Korra says with a sniffle. She takes the tissue and dries her cheeks with it. "We're... good to each other."

How else can she word it? They _are_ good. She and Asami understand each other, flow together. Whereas most of Korra's relationships with friends, family and lovers alike have been abrasive and rocky, Asami makes everything easy. It has been a welcome change of pace.

Mako nods. He steps away to put on his sling, slipping it over his shoulder and fastening it around his arm. "Excuse me. I'm going to get some fresh air."

"Wait," Korra blurts. She wants to smack herself for almost forgetting. "I still need to speak with you about something. Please don't leave yet."

"I'm not going anywhere," Mako reassures. "I'll be on the upstairs balcony, so you know I won't run away. Just... give me a minute."

She wouldn't be surprised if he _does_ want to run away. Uncertain about what to do next, she fidgets with the tissue in her hands, afraid to ask any of the important questions that are still in need of answers.

She doesn't need his approval, but she wants it.

"Are you... okay, Mako? With us?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" The small smile he gives her looks forced, but the ways his eyes stare directly into hers conveys his sincerity. "Yes. I wish you both the best, honestly... You deserve someone who will treat you well."


	4. Chapter 4

Korra doesn't join Mako on the balcony.

Instead, she practices bending on a terrace just outside of the Sato mansion. Coordinating movements with the flow of chi through the body has always been a comfort to her, ever since she'd begun her first waterbending lessons with Master Katara at the tender age of five. It usually works to clear her mind, or at least help vent her frustrations, and right now, that is something that would probably be beneficial to everyone.

Tonight her fire burns hotly. Quick, bright bursts flash against the outer walls of the mansion as Korra goes through the forms she's learned over years and years of practice. She remembers her first firebending master—a rigid, horse-faced man from the United Republic—and everything that he'd taught her. But recalling proper breathing techniques and bodily posturing isn't quite enough to keep her focused.

Fragments of a conversation can be heard from where she stands. She can discern Mako's tone, but not his words.

After finding Korra a bit shaken up, Asami offered to speak with him. And, in a cowardly move uncharacteristic to any respectable Avatar, Korra had accepted.

She just doesn't want to confront Mako right now and talk about their _feelings, _not immediately after he's admitted that he wants her back. It's not that she thinks he'll suggest dating again—he will undoubtedly respect Korra's newfound relationship with Asami. Nevertheless, it is a topic Mako is unlikely to drop since their last conversation ended rather prematurely. He'll want to apologize for being forward, presumptuous or something along those lines, and Korra doesn't need that.

Things are complicated and always have been as far as she and Mako are concerned. Addressing such a subject is something Korra would rather avoid, at least for right now.

But she still _needs_ Mako. If finding a solution to her Avatar problems means dealing with an ex who still kind of loves her, then she'll deal with it. Mako isn't bad company, anyway. He is one of her most dependable and trustworthy companions. She should be appreciating their camaraderie for what it is, not avoiding him just because he's managed to embarrass them both.

_Korra_ should be the one speaking with him. But it's too late now, as Asami has already taken the reins.

Though Korra can't really hear the two of them, she assumes Asami has explained to Mako what they wish to do: to visit the spirit world, to find a way for Korra to reconnect with the past Avatars. It may be a waste of time, a dead end or a neverending wild-goose chase, but if there is any chance that such information may be stashed away in Wan Shi Tong's expansive library, they will probably need more than two sets of eyes to find it.

Since Tenzin and Jinora are unable or unwilling to help them, Mako is their only hope. Korra doubts someone like Bolin or Ikki could be of much help, and while Varrick is smart, Korra doesn't believe his spontaneous moments of clarity would help him with reading books for hours on end. And the last thing Asami needs is to be stuck in another realm with _Varrick._

They could ask the entirely capable Zhu Li, now that she is no longer Varrick's assistant, but... No, it doesn't seem likely that she would leave her husband's side so soon after their wedding.

Mako, it is.

It would be easy for Korra to shove all of her jumbled emotions into her firebending and burn down the decorative topiaries one hundred feet away from her. But the forms she practices tonight consist of graceful, long movements combined with speed and dexterity. Jumps, spinning kicks and lunges work Korra's muscles in wonderful ways until her entire body begins to ache. She's regained some muscle mass since she was injured by the Red Lotus, but she is still weaker—physically, at least—than she'd been in her prime.

Fifteen minutes into her impromptu workout, Korra finally takes the time to glance up at the balcony. Mako and Asami are both watching her, almost shoulder-to-shoulder as they lean with hands supporting them against the railing. Asami smiles and gestures for her to continue. Judging by their body language and faces, their conversation must either be going well or is now at a standstill.

Korra bends the sweat away from her temples before resuming, this time without creating fire. Her forms transition into quick-paced steps strafing around an invisible point, spiraling, evasive maneuvers that Tenzin and the kids had taught her. One hand touches the inner elbow of her opposite extended arm. Manipulating air feels completely different than fire, in that the chi does not roar from her fingertips; instead, as she swirls, the air swirls as if it is an extension of her, building and building until she's created a wind funnel in the center of her circular path.

A few stray leaves and a pebble are picked up in the breeze. Finally, she stops, letting go her control of the air. The funnel wobbles and weakens until the leaves swirl lazily down to the ground.

It is, admittedly, kind of beautiful.

Korra looks up to the balcony once again, curious to see if Asami is still watching.

She and Mako aren't there anymore. They've gone inside, leaving Korra to practice alone.

* * *

><p>Korra gives herself a few minutes to catch her breath before heading indoors as well. Her two friends are found in a lounge room on the main floor, sitting on opposing sofas with a short table separating them.<p>

Mako's voice eases into silence as Korra hesitates in the doorway.

Asami, who had been leaning forward with her elbows on her knees, straightens immediately. She and Mako share a guilty look, as if they have been talking about something private. Or about her.

There must be more to their conversation than just the library. Mako appears uncomfortable with Korra lingering there, so his words must be meant for Asami's ears only.

Whatever. She'll respect that.

"I'll be upstairs," Korra tells them, even as burning curiosity makes her want to join their little chat. The others mutter an acknowledgement before she jogs up the long staircase to the second floor.

In the hall she passes a few oversized paintings of the Sato family. In one portrait, a toddler Asami smiles, bow in her hair and her dress a frilly, floral pink. Holding the girl in place on her knee, Asami's mother smiles in the exact same fashion.

The next portrait Korra passes features an older Asami and her father.

Throughout the hall, and especially outside of Asami's bedroom, there are several more framed canvases hung on the walls. The third display Korra examines is actually a set of two canvases placed side by side: one is a remarkable stylized rendering of a vase of flowers in a windowsill. The smaller painting beside it features red paint splatters and broad, butchered strokes that are apparently meant to resemble flowers more than a massacre. Cards tucked into the bottom-left corners of the frames read, in fine calligraphy, respectively: _'Springtime Blossoms' by Yasuko Sato,_ and _'Pretty Flowers' by Asami Sato, Age Four_.

Against the wall, directly in front of the two canvases, stands a small table. Atop it rests an empty vase.

Korra doesn't look at any more of the Sato family's artwork.

She knows where Asami's bedroom is located, though she's never actually stepped inside it. When Korra enters the dark room, it isn't quite the elaborate princess' suite she'd envisioned in her mind. The room has a simple, open layout with a four-poster bed as its centerpiece. Richly stained furniture lines the room, save for one wall of tall windows that allows light from the moon and the new spirit portal to stream in.

When Korra slips her boots off and falls onto Asami's bed, her first thought isn't that the mattress must be made of clouds, though it probably is.

It's of Asami and her dead parents.

Then Mako, and Bolin, and their parents too. Gone.

The brothers' mother and father had been killed by a petty thief. Asami's mother had been killed by gang members. Perhaps it is mere coincidence that these murders were perpetrated while the Avatar unable to protect her people, but... if only Korra had been older then, an active Avatar and not a small child learning to control the elements, the crime rate in Republic City may not have been so bad during those years.

Even Hiroshi's death had ultimately stemmed from Korra's inactivity. Her excessive time spent recovering in the South had allowed Kuvira to amass enough power to start a war. It is apparent now that the Avatar must be dutiful at _all_ times, for any time she may fail in this task, the world suffers, and innocent people die.

Korra wants to take her three closest friends and hold them all against her bosom. She wants to be there for Asami as if they were born of the same blood. No matter what may happen between them romantically, she will be there to support Asami, to protect her. And she feels the same way for Mako and Bolin—the Fire Ferrets, _her team_.

They're all so important to her. It is Korra's responsibility, as the Avatar, to keep them safe.

Being able to call upon past lives for advice would only make Korra stronger. Even if there _isn't_ a way to reconnect to their destroyed souls, she must try—she should try for the rest of her life, even, if it means she will be better able to protect this fragile world and all its inhabitants.

* * *

><p>Some time later, Korra wakes from a light nap.<p>

She didn't realize she'd been tired enough to fall asleep at all. The first thing she notices upon waking is Asami sitting beside her, illuminated by green light from the spirit portal shining in from the windows. Her attention is turned away, head angled downward as she fiddles with something in front of her. When the Future Industries jacket slips down from her shoulders, revealing her purple top beneath, Korra realizes her girlfriend is undressing.

"Um... Hey there?"

"Hi, Korra. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Fortunately, or maybe not so fortunately, Asami removes only the jacket, her hairband and shoes. "Scoot over."

Korra obeys, making room for Asami to lie on the bed alongside her. Almost automatically, Korra's arm raises to guide her girlfriend to the crook of her shoulder.

Asami settles her body beside Korra's own, knees nudging one of her legs. A hand touches Korra's hip almost tentatively before sliding itself forward to rest over her stomach.

_This_ is something Korra likes. They've only slept entwined once before, in the spirit world, but they hadn't been quite so close together then. When she urges Asami just a little closer until their bodies are fully pressed against one another, the action feels natural, nice.

Dozing off has relaxed Korra enough to make her feel less nervous about speaking with Mako. If he's still here, she'll speak with him.

"Where's Mako?"

"Probably packing," Asami murmurs, snuggling her cheek against the space between Korra's shoulder and breast. Korra swallows, turning her gaze toward the ceiling instead of the thick locks of soft, black hair now spilling over the both of them. "It took some convincing, but he says he'll come with us to the library."

That surprises Korra. Mako tends to avoid awkward situations, more so when it comes to interacting with his ex-girlfriends. But Miss Sato, it seems, has a silver tongue. "How did you convince him?"

Asami's index finger rubs idly against the blue fabric of Korra's top, just above her navel. "I told him you needed his help."

"Oh." Korra thinks yet again of the words he told her after the wedding, his vow to follow her anywhere upon request, no matter how crazy things may get. That offer must have included the spirit world, too... Knowing that sentiment may have been fueled by pining just as much as loyalty makes Korra uncertain about how to feel about it. "Thank you for speaking with him, Asami."

"No problem. It's not a big deal."

Maybe so, but it was to her.

"Did he tell you what happened in the powder room?" Korra asks. What occurred is not information she would consider withholding—Korra intends to be honest with Asami in all things, especially when said things concern their relationship. For better or for worse.

Asami looks up at her, and in response, Korra looks down. "Yes, and it's fine. He didn't know about us." Asami then sighs, slipping her hand further around Korra until it reaches the far side of her waist. Her voice is much quieter when she mumbles, "You chose _me_ over someone else. That is the first time someone's done that."

Korra immediately knows what Asami is referring to. Mako, in a way, chose Korra over her twice: first, he'd essentially broken up with Asami to date Korra; then again, six months later, he unapologetically kissed Korra after he and Asami had just begun to rekindle their relationship.

Shame bubbles to the surface within Korra as she remembers how much of a role she'd played in seducing Mako the first time, tempting him to leave his then-girlfriend. It had been such selfish, catty behavior, and Asami had deserved none of it.

Things are very different now. Korra tries to absorb the details of this moment, lying on such a quality bed with silken sheets and a beautiful girl at her side. _Asami_ at her side, the same girl she first looked upon with jealousy and insecurity.

Korra's thoughts are of no one but her as she brings her other arm around Asami, hugging her partner.

"I will never do that to you," Korra promises. Asami's head lowers as their embrace tightens. It's an impulse that makes Korra brush Asami's loose hair over her shoulder, revealing every bit of her face. "I hope what we have lasts a long time... Forgive me if I'm no good at this, though. I've never had a girlfriend before."

Asami giggles. "Neither have I. I wasn't even really sure I _liked_ women until I started crushing on you. Maybe I just have a type... You're strong and motivated and caring. And muscular. Sexy-muscular."

This time it is Korra's turn to laugh. "How shallow," Korra kids, though internally she's beaming. She's always been athletic, so it's great her physique is something Asami appreciates. And she's never been called _sexy_ before, by man or woman.

"I used to notice particularly good-looking women," says Korra, remembering the few girls she'd ever been even marginally attracted to. There was a young White Lotus sentry that Korra had taken a liking to once, but pretty women were few and far between until she arrived in this city. Living in a sheltered environment, where mastering the elements was considered far more important than a worldly education, no one had ever told her it was even _possible_ for girls to like other girls. Suffice it to say she'd been a very confused young lady.

"I was intimidated by _you_, at first, actually," Korra adds.

"Really?"

"Of course! You were outgoing and rich and— and _beautiful_, and nice. But you weren't prissy either. After you took me for a spin in that Satomobile on your father's test track, I..."

Korra pauses.

Asami pinches her side playfully. "Hm?"

"... I knew I had misjudged you." She knows her words must be sappy. It is not easy speaking so openly, despite all of Korra's determination to be honest. "I wish I'd known, in that moment, to date you instead. Sorry it took me so long."

Korra can feel, more than see, Asami's smile in the darkness. "You're being awfully sweet tonight."

"Am I?"

Their embrace mutually loosens, and Asami rolls back enough to rest her head on Korra's upper arm.

Korra isn't sure where her words are coming from. After tonight, and with everything that's happened recently, she's had many serious thoughts to dwell on. "I've been thinking, and... You're really important to me, Asami."

"We've only been dating for a week," her girlfriend reminds.

"It's not that. I don't mean it in just a romantic sense." Korra finds Asami's hand with her own and takes a deep breath before speaking. "You're my best friend. And I want to do whatever it takes to keep you, and everyone else, safe. I will try my hardest to find answers in the spirit library, or where ever else they may be. I won't stop looking until I can restore the Avatar spirit to what it once was."

Asami is quiet as she ponders Korra's words. Then, softly, she says, "It makes me happy to hear you say that. I want to try my best to help you, too... And Mako's said something similar."

Korra blinks, caught by surprise. "What did he say? What did you talk about?"

Asami brushes her fingertips across Korra's palm, tickling the suddenly overly-sensitive skin there. It's lovely and quite distracting, so Korra closes her hand around Asami's, gently discouraging it. "Nothing bad," Asami finally says. "We had a very lengthy conversation... One that was long-overdue. He started by apologizing for what happened between you two earlier tonight, but that conversation led to him apologizing for _everything_ he's done to wrong me."

Somewhat incredulous, Korra scoffs. _Real smooth, Mako._ "Seriously? It's been something like _four years_. Kinda late there, bucko."

"I know. He's a jerk."

At that, they both chuckle, as if they're the only ones in on a private joke.

"There were things that should've been said already," Asami continues more seriously, "but whatever happened between you two prompted him to say it now. So I'm glad."

Korra wonders what could have motivated him to do such a thing. He's never had a way with words or expressing his feelings, so it definitely seems out of place for him to have spoken at length about this.

For the most part, though, Asami seems pleased with what Mako has said.

"You don't mind if he tags along with us to the library?" Korra inquires, just to double-check. "Won't it be a bit... weird?"

"I think it will be more awkward for you two. I got used to his bullfrogshit a long time ago." Korra stirs at the expletive, not expecting it yet wholly amused by it, and Asami laughs. "Anyway, Mako and I are pals. And now I understand why he liked you enough to do what he did, even if it did hurt me."

Korra regrets the things that have happened between the three of them. Perhaps going on an adventure, just the three of them spending time together, can help patch any holes remaining in their friendships. The spirit world has unexpected ways of making things better, in the end.

"I really care about you, too," Asami admits.

Those words come from seemingly out of the blue, but the feeling behind them pulls at something deep inside of Korra. They haven't shared a word about love yet, and maybe it's wrong or it's impossible to love someone you've dated for only one week. But you can love a best friend and confidant whole-heartedly, can't you?

That is the kind of love they share now, Korra muses, only this love comes with extra kisses.

Korra can't resist the urge to move so that Asami is flat on her back and she is leaning over her. The raised-eyebrow look Asami gives her is surprised at first, but that expression changes once Korra touches her chin, turning her face up so that they may kiss.

This one is in no way as chaste as their previous kiss. Their lips meet, quickly moving hard and soft, fast and slow until one of them coaxes the other's mouth open. They then begin to sink into each other, in a sense; Korra's knee finds the space between warm thighs, while Asami's hand curls into Korra's hair as if attempting to bring her closer.

Korra touches the fabric of Asami's top, thumb brushing the side of one breast, skirting her hand down over Asami's waist and the curve of her hip.

Eventually they part for air. The faint taste of lipstick lingers on their tongues, and Korra thinks she likes it, maybe, as it's evidence of how uncomposed she can turn the other woman. Asami's hand falls to curve around Korra's ear and jawline. Those fingers slide from her neck, to her collarbone, and lower. Lower.

"Sometimes I can't believe this is real," Asami breathes.

"It's real," Korra returns, just as hopelessly overwhelmed by it all. They should stop, Korra knows, but it's been so long since she's had any such satisfaction. And never before has she heard a moan like Asami's, soft yet desperately pitched as she wordlessly encourages Korra to keep going, to keep touching her.

It is, perhaps, also a reminder to herself as Korra repeats her own words. "It's real."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note: **I greatly apologize for the delay for this chapter. I've been traveling and dealing with several matters, so I'm very, very sorry for making everyone wait. :(  
><em>

_From this point on I will be taking creative license with the spiritual/magical aspects of this world. Chi, chakras, etc. in this story and will be congruent with and expand upon what has been mentioned in both shows; however, they may differ from that in real-life belief systems. Thanks for reading._

* * *

><p>Despite putting on a brave face, a part of Mako seems understandably wary upon entering the glowing sphere of the portal. The first and only time he previously ventured into the spirits' realm, during Harmonic Convergence, he fought Eska, Desna, and innumerable dark spirits that had been twisted by Vaatu's influence.<p>

Listening to Asami go on about how _cute_ and _little_ some spirits are thankfully seems to reassure him. The other world is no longer overrun with evil, no matter how he may still have it pictured in his head.

He has seen what the alternate world looks like from the southern portal, but has never stepped foot into the one in Republic City. Korra enjoys Mako's awed expression as he swivels on a heel, taking in the sea of magenta flowers surrounding them, the sight sharply contrasting with dead trees and jagged, icy peaks beyond. "This place is ridiculous," he observes, and that is something to which neither woman joining him disagrees.

Hopefully he likes what he sees, for they will be encountering things more incredible than this before they're through.

Mako has a duffel bag at his hip with its strap slung over his shoulder in lieu of a backpack, since the latter would be too difficult to put on or take off with his sling in the way. The man prepares for traveling in a fashion similarly to Asami—both of them carry far too much crap, in Korra's opinion.

But, then again, they've also brought extra supplies for their stay in the library: notebooks, pencils, candles. Within Asami's backpack is a thick folder of various papers from Future Industries to give to Wan Shi Tong, as well as several rolled tubes that must be blueprints. Korra has brought her air glider in case she will need to make quick trips to retrieve water or anything else.

Even getting _into_ the library will be a challenge in of itself, as it seems to be suspended nearly twenty stories in the air, and neither Mako nor Asami can airbend like Korra can. With his injuries, it's unlikely that Mako will have enough strength to propel himself twenty stories high with just firebending.

That reminds Korra: first things first.

"I want to try healing your arm before we go to the library," she tells him. But they don't leave immediately, as Korra tries to think of where, specifically, they should head. This world is freakishly vast with a variety of terrains to be found within less than a day's walk, so their travel choices are anything but limited. "We need spirit water. I'm just not sure where would be the best place to go..."

"What about that first lake we found?" Asami suggests. "It was big."

"Eh. There were a bunch of dead plants nearby."

Mako shakes his head. "Not that one."

"The rocky stream?"

"Preferably not." Korra pouts and nudges a few flowers with her foot, remembering the places she and Asami have visited within the past week. Many areas were nice while others were far less inviting. Some spirits, like Wan Shi Tong, do not appreciate humans disturbing their homes, and adding Mako to the equation may only make their reactions worse. "That stream's local bear spirit didn't like me very much. And I _live_ with a bear... dog."

After considering their options for another moment, Asami tries again. "What about that weird, bluish pond? Plenty of life surrounded it."

Korra easily recalls the bright, aquamarine-colored pool of glowing liquid they previously stumbled across, no more than four feet wide, perfectly rounded and shallow. It'd been an odd sight for sure, doubly so because it had clashed with the multicolored grasses at their feet. They hadn't touched it, though the monkey-like spirits nearby did not go out of their way to avoid it. "I thought we agreed it _is_ a spirit, Asami. There's no way normal water could be that color."

"Exactly. You need spirit-infused water. Where better to get that from, than from a water spirit?"

"... I didn't think about it like that. Good idea."

Mako shifts his weight from one leg to the other, appearing a bit lost. "You want to heal me with a _spirit_?"

"More bizarre things have happened in this world." Korra smirks at him before clasping Asami's hand in her own. With her opposite hand holding the glider as a staff, she offers that forearm to Mako. "Grab on. If you get nauseous easily, you might want to close your eyes, too. The Avatar travels in style."

Cautious once more, Mako sets his hand lightly on Korra's bare arm.

The best thing about traveling in the spirit world is Korra's ability to essentially shift the world around her to her whim, as long as she has a vague destination in mind. Without anyone taking a step, the breeze picks up and the ground begins to move on their every side.

Asami laughs as Mako yelps, now clinging firmly to Korra's arm. Korra keeps the path to their target at the forefront of her mind—across a muddy creek, over mossy hills, avoiding a particularly dark cave... The wandering route Korra and Asami had taken when they originally found the pool skirted along the edge of line of trees. She knows they've arrived at the right place when new types of grass appear at their feet, blends of fuchsia and cobalt and the brightest yellow she thinks she's ever seen coloring the lush blades.

Mako utters his surprise once they stop. The flora here is spectacularly jarring, a great garden with every plant appearing more outlandish than the last.

Asami pulls free from Korra and jogs to one of her favorite bushes located close by. The leaves adorning it are richly colored gold and umber, and its flowers have curly petals in a translucent, creamy hue. It smells of something sweet, faintly of honey, perhaps, and that is why Asami favors it. "Hello again," she greets, and the bush rattles cheerfully in reply.

"Is everything alive here?" Mako asks. His grip on Korra releases as an afterthought.

"No," Korra answers, "but never assume something _isn't_ alive." She learned that the hard way after verbally insulting a particularly ugly tree. It swatted her bottom in retaliation as she passed by.

Korra leads Mako forward to the pool of unnaturally blue water, though it's more of puddle, really. She has never approached it before, so it's unclear whether the water will be sentient, let alone friendly.

Even if it is a hostile spirit, the water is too shallow to drown any man. Hopefully.

"Hello," Korra says before kneeling near the edge of its hole and laying her glider beside her. Speaking to liquid feels a bit silly, but Asami just said hello to a _plant_, so Korra isn't the only one potentially looking foolish. "I'm Korra, the Avatar. How are you doing today?"

In response, the water ripples.

It _is_ a spirit.

Mako calls Korra's name. When she glances back at him, standing just behind her, she realizes his attention is drawn toward the trees where the monkey spirits reside. They watch intently with red eyes from the shadows, some dangling from branches with their one or two or five tails.

"Don't be nervous," she tells Mako, waving him forward, "you'll only make _them_ nervous. That's how this world works, you know. Ignore them and sit here next to me."

He kneels beside her and sets his duffel bag to the side. "Right. I suppose I should just follow your lead, Korra, since you seem to know what you're doing here."

"Mm... Nope. Not really."

Just like her friends, Korra knows extremely little about this place. She knows that spirits respond to and reciprocate foul emotions. She knows that she can move the earth around herself, through the power of willpower, perhaps, and not bending—or maybe she's moving _herself_ across the earth—but she isn't certain _why_ or _how_ she has this ability. Asami tried and couldn't do it.

There is so much more that Korra, as the Avatar, could stand to learn about this mysterious world. So much _humanity_ could learn about this world. It pleases her to know that because the portals are now open, they _can_.

Korra also doesn't know if this water spirit is made of the water itself, or if it is only an entity residing in it. She reaches out to hold one hand over it, testing. She is only guessing that the spirit might respond.

It does. The water swirls in a counter-clockwise motion, creating a vortex on its surface before a thin tendril rises up from the center, appearing to be bent by an invisible force. The water touches her palm before twining around her wrist in a gentle manner.

Its glowing hue looks similar to that of chi-infused water, as if someone were healing with it, only a tad bit more vivid than the sky above. Its a comforting color that reminds Korra of the light spirit inside of herself.

"It's nice to meet you, spirit," Korra speaks politely. She doubts a human has ever met this particular puddle before, and it is unlikely someone will interact ever with it again, but she wants to leave a good impression regardless. "Do you think you could help me with something? My friend, Mako, was hurt recently. I need spirit water to be able to heal him. Can I use some of yours if I promise to return it?"

The water around her wrist squeezes and releases, as if in agreement. It unwinds from Korra before falling down to return to the rest of itself.

That's as good a sign as any. Korra turns toward Mako and assists with removing the sling and dressings from his arm.

The burns look even worse in the natural light of day. When Asami finally joins them, she does not speak, but Korra notices a grimace as she kneels on the other side of Mako. Although she's a fighter as much as the rest of them, Asami has not often been exposed to such gruesome injuries of war.

Mako sits down completely as Korra makes sure his left sleeve is rolled up enough to expose all of the damaged skin. His gaze doesn't stay on her face, today—it calmly drifts from her hands as they touch him, down to his own right hand buried in a patch of grass, then to the trees where shy spirits peer back from afar. His and Asami's eyes meet, and the quick, reassuring smile she gives him is enough to make him sigh.

Once Mako is ready to be healed, the three of them watch the water spirit begin to move again.

A thicker mass of the liquid finds the outstretched fingers of Mako's damaged arm. It follows the shape of him and flattens itself across his skin. The water seems to find every spot that is hurt, meaning it is quite the conscious puddle if it is aware enough to sense such things. Korra holds her palms just above the layer of water covering his arm, takes a deep breath, and _heals_.

It goes just as well as one might expect, at first, until Korra pushes the water beneath his skin. Mako's legs draw inward as he tenses, his body and face tightening as he tries to deal with the sudden influx of pain.

This unique water seems to amplify Korra's own senses, as she can feel _exactly_ where the muscles are damaged, down to each and every fiber. She's never been this adept as a healer.

As the water attempts to repair him, Mako clenches his jaw to keep from vocalizing his opinion on the matter. The sound that manages to escape from his closed mouth is dampened but gives a glimpse of what agony this must be causing him. Korra's initial reaction is to stop—_something is going wrong, this spirit is evil, it's hurting him_—but then she can feel his arm _change_. The flesh moves on a molecular level, patching itself back together, the inflammation lessening, tissue growing anew.

It's definitely healing—_rapidly_—but it is _not_ painless. Not at this speed.

The grass beneath his right hand begins to smoke. Sensing a change in him, as well, the monkey spirits scatter in fear.

Asami grabs Mako's shoulders from behind, half-supporting and half-holding him in place as Korra continues. Korra keeps her concentration on the task of healing him, but she can't help but noticed his hisses, the way his head rolls back and presses unrestrained against Asami. The woman wraps one arm loosely around his neck and chest, holding him against her as his body twitches spasmodically in response to whatever he must be experiencing.

He's strong to endure this. He's always been strong, and Korra isn't surprised when he doesn't tell her to stop.

She doesn't want to put him through this, but it was an unspoken agreement that healing his arm through waterbending was their best option. And since regular water scarcely helped, spirit water is their only hope for a miraculous recovery.

The only blessed part about this is that it goes rather quickly. Less than two minutes pass before Korra is finished and nothing more can be done. It's healed as much as it ever will be.

Korra falls flat on her bottom, exhausted already, and the water returns to its puddle. Having the near unlimited power of spirit water—or, rather, a _water spirit_—in her hands is amazing yet entirely frightening. It is like the vines' explosive energy but in liquid form, and it makes her wonder what else this water may be capable of.

"You're okay now," Asami soothes, petting his hair as Mako breathes, labored, with eyes squeezed shut. Asami's concern is evident, as if she hadn't expected _healing_ to be quite so painful—not to this extent. And to be honest, Korra hadn't, either.

But Korra has rearranged and rebuilt part of an entire arm, including nerves. Of course it would hurt. Two minutes of pain seems like a better alternative than two or more months of slow-going recovery. Or that is what she tells herself as Mako sits half-curled into a ball, trying to slow his rapid breaths.

"It's over," Asami continues telling Mako. She pats his cheek a bit, urging him to focus on the here and now. His eyes open, and his head rolls upward so he may see her face. "You did well. Look at your arm now, Mako. _Look._"

"I hate this vacation already," is how Mako responds.

But he listens, and he looks.

The arm appears _mostly_ healed. The skin is no longer angrily red, although it does seem to be scarred a slightly different color than the rest of his normal skin tone. It isn't inflamed, isn't cracked or flaking anymore. When Mako curls that hand into a fist, the action seems easy. Painless. _Possible._

"It's healed," Mako murmurs with disbelief. He suddenly pulls away from Asami, staggering up onto to his feet as if the pain has already been forgotten. "It's— It's—"

"It's scarred," Korra says. The arm isn't perfect. It's still ugly. But the way Mako continually flexes it, rolling his wrist and testing the movement of each finger, proves it is far better than it was. At least the scarring is milder than Korra expected it to be.

"It's healed," Mako repeats. "I can move it, and it doesn't hurt at all." After clenching his fist again with a satisfactory result, a relieved, joyous smile spreads across his face. "You healed me, Korra. And you too... Puddle. Thank you both. _Thank you_."

He continues to fawn over it. Korra rolls her eyes, wiping her now-sweaty palms on her pants legs. "Were you expecting to lose the arm or something, tough guy?"

"Well, no... Maybe? For a minute there, it felt like you were ripping it off. Like every pore was burning again, individually and simultaneously, if that makes sense."

Korra frowns. She _knew_ it would likely hurt him—they should have gotten something to relieve the pain, or sedate him, in preparation. Though she knows he isn't the type to imbibe, perhaps some well-deserved alcohol could have taken the edge off. She knows more than one person has gifted him a bottle for saving their city. "I'm sorry I hurt you so much," she apologizes. "I should've planned more. I should've considered your well-being ahead of time."

"No, no, it's okay. My arm is back to normal, so I'd say I'm feeling pretty well now." Mako punches the air with that arm as if to show how much better it feels. He hesitates, looking confused, before doing the action again. Then he punches with his right arm and a ball of fire spurts forth. "Um, Korra? Something isn't right."

Korra sits him down again to inspect his left arm. When she runs her fingers over the new skin, she can feel that it is thicker than it should be, not quite smooth in some places while too smooth in others, but it is such a great improvement that she has a hard time believing it herself. Korra tries to feel beyond the physicality of him, using waterbending to sense where his chi paths run. She compares the energy flow of his right arm to his left.

"You can't firebend with this arm because your chi paths were damaged," Korra tells him, running her fingers down the invisible path they make through his scarred forearm. "At your elbow, here, it feels as if the paths have been bled dry."

Her friends don't seem to understand. Asami is not familiar with the spiritual or technical aspects of bending, and while Mako is a firebender, he had never received a proper education in the art. The Avatar, meanwhile, knows more about the field than even some scholars do.

"Imagine they are invisible veins that run a circuit through your subtle body," she explains. "The subtle body is more like your spiritual form, your mind and energy—not made of flesh. Like veins that carry blood: without those paths functioning properly, you'd lose the physical arm. If chi paths do not complete their circuit, then no chi will reach the end of your arm, and you can't bend with it."

"Like the spiritual part of the arm is dead," Asami paraphrases.

"Kind of. It is more like a stream than has run dry due to being blocked by a dam. You were burned not by just electricity, Mako, but spiritual energy, too. The impact hurt more than just your physical body."

Mako's right hand smooths over the skin where Korra has touched. "I see. And I don't suppose you could heal that, too? My subtle body?"

Her first thought is _no_. There are ways to clear blocked chi through waterbending, but that is assuming the paths themselves are undamaged. There are ways to sense and interpret another person's muddled chi through firebending, but that is something Korra has yet to learn, and she doesn't believe it could fix the broken paths, either.

But then Korra remembers she has the power of more than four elements. She'd restored bending to the many victims of Amon by manipulating energy itself. Though most of this was done on instinct, by copying Avatar Aang's actions done unto her, she still _felt_ how to manipulate and reconnect blocked paths within someone else.

"I'll try," is all Korra can say.

Asami watches Korra work, looking thoughtful, albeit a bit out of her element here.

Korra takes Mako's arm and stretches it out again, palm facing upward. Closing her eyes, she visualizes the paths his chi _should_ be taking. Mako braces himself for pain again as Korra begins moving her fingers over him.

But as she manipulates the chi, Mako relaxes. Korra tries to straighten one particularly gnarled inch of the path before it suddenly pops into its proper place, releasing a short burst of chi. Mako exhales a laugh.

Asami is amused by his reaction. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," Mako says. "It tingles, kind of. It's just a rush of sensation, like..."

"Energy," Korra finishes. "Like bending, right?"

"Right. Without the fire. Just a surge of power... Is that what the Avatar State feels like? A surge of power?"

"Yes, in a way."

Korra fixes as much of the path as she can, and she's able to feel when the chi begins flowing again. The new paths in his left arm are weak and thin compared to his right, as if they are from a child unpracticed in bending, but he should be able to firebend with that arm now.

"Try again," Korra instructs, and Mako succeeds in creating a miniature, flickering flame from his left hand. "Good. It might feel weak at first, but keep training with that arm and it should eventually return to normal. Let me know if you have any issues with it."

Mako grins broadly enough to reveal teeth, and Korra can't help but think it's a pleasant look on him. If only he would smile like this more, like his little brother does, all cheeky boyish charm and happiness. "I can't thank you enough, Korra," Mako says gratefully. "You've given me more in one day than I ever could have hoped for. You're amazing, truly."

Embarrassed, Korra tries to downplay his words.

It doesn't help when Asami joins in. "Really, you _are_ amazing, Korra. I am not going to pretend I have any idea of what you just did, but you fixed his arm _and_ his bending. Your abilities know no bounds, do they?"

"I'm the Avatar," Korra answers, shrugging. She has always been an exception to the norm in terms of bending and spiritual abilities.

But Asami's words remind her of what Zaheer had said:

_You think your power has limits. _I _say it's limitless._

If they are right—if the Avatar's power indeed knows no bounds—what, exactly, could 'limitless' entail? Of all the unlikely feats Korra can imagine, bringing her long-gone, disintegrated past lives back into existence is high on the list of improbabilities. And even if it _were _possible, how would someone with immeasurable power go about fulfilling such a task, anyway? How does one bring a _spirit_ back from the dead?

Korra still feels it's unlikely, if not impossible, for her to regain what she's lost.

But with this power, she _can_ restore what Mako has lost.

With surprisingly little need of convincing, Mako strips himself of his jacket and lifts his undershirt enough to reveal his secondary burn. From the point of impact just above his belly button, discolored lines jag outward in the shape of lightning. This injury is only skin-deep, luckily, and isn't large enough to cover more than half of his abdomen.

As he lies supine, Korra and the water spirit heal him again.

The process doesn't hurt as much this time around, as only skin needs to be healed. Asami lets Mako to squeeze her hand in his, anyway, permitting him to use her as his anchor.

Though they've dated before, Korra assumes Asami has never seen Mako nude, or possibly _any_ man nude, as her eyes don't remain on his injury. With her brow raised, her gaze hesitates on the thin line of hair leading from his navel into his trousers, and as Korra heals with palms pressed against him, Asami looks skyward as Mako's abdominal muscles clench, her entire face stained pink.

When Korra is finished, the man lying on the ground keeps a stupid smile on his face, his good hand familiarizing itself with the restored skin over his stomach. Healing with this water has worked yet again.

As the water spirit slips back into its pool, Korra thanks it for its assistance.

A tiny puffball of a spirit appears seemingly from out of nowhere, resting its little bird feet on Mako's forehead. When he greets it, having been only mildly startled by its appearance, the spirit chirrups happily and pokes his nose with its beak. Mako lifts his fingers to his face to offer the spirit a more suitable place to perch.

"It's attracted to your emotions," Korra notices, smiling as the puffball bounces itself across his hand. Mako turns his palm toward the sky and the spirit maintains its balance as it hops along his forearm. "Are you happy, Mako?"

"Things are looking up," he replies. A monkey spirit finds its way over to Mako as well, tentative at first, and then curious. Despite looking rather spooky, the spirit is friendly, sitting on Mako's shin and curling several tails around his shoe. "I take back what I said, Korra. This place isn't so bad."

* * *

><p>When Wan Shi Tong meets the trio on the forest floor outside of his library, Mako stands with new-found confidence, both hands tucked into his pants pockets, his sling no longer necessary and stored away inside his bag.<p>

The owl gives him the most perfunctory of once-overs, hardly acknowledging the addition to their party before his attention is diverted by the rustling of papers.

Asami reveals what she's brought for him: blueprints and schematics of biplanes, satomobiles, combustion engines and more. She shows him the folder containing pages upon pages of text and diagrams of the many inventions Future Industries has created over the years.

Though Wan Shi Tong scoops up her generous offerings with little more than an appreciative nod to Asami, Korra believes he must be overjoyed. They've brought more than enough for entry, it seems, as the owl gestures his welcome with a wide sweep of one wing.

"I must ask that any firebenders refrain from creating campfires while inside," Wan Shi Tong warns, eying Korra and Mako equally. "And mind the spines; many tomes you may find within are considered invaluable antiques. I would also appreciate diligence when handling any bottles of ink, and clean fingertips when examining scrolls. Few humans handle others' property with care."

"Of course. We will be very mindful," Asami assures, looking to the building above them. "Thank you. I do wish your library were a bit more accessible, though... I'm not sure how we'll get inside."

The library appears to hang upside-down from a series of vines woven through the trees, but Korra isn't sure how that could hold such a heavy structure without letting it fall. It seems as if the building is enchanted and held up by more than mere vines. To enter, Korra could use her air glider to lift one person up at a time, but that seems somewhat impractical.

Without moving his body, Wan Shi Tong rotates his head until he can see behind himself, peering up as well. "I was under the impression that mankind could fly with your company's wondrous inventions, Miss Sato."

"I didn't bring a plane with me, unfortunately." After a brief delay, Asami adds, "My biplanes are outfitted with weapons, and less wise spirits may accidentally hurt themselves if they play with one. I did not bring anything dangerous to this world for their sake."

Asami is bold-faced _lying_—they hadn't any intention of bringing a plane. The very thought of it seems preposterous. Mako and Korra glance at one another skeptically, but Wan Shi Tong seems to believe her.

Asami is playing him, _manipulating_ him, to hold her in his favor. And it is working.

This woman—despite being one of the most kindhearted people Korra has ever met—is a force to be reckoned with in more than just combat. Wit is the sharpest weapon in her armory. Korra and Mako are nowhere near as eloquent as Asami, and neither would have the skill or audacity to so brazenly lie to a great spirit three times their height.

Asami is the only one with a plan here, and it is an ingenious one.

"That seems sensible," the owl says, his head turning back to face her. "Understood. I will lower the library for you."

Wan Shi Tong spreads his wings wide, clutching the earth in his talons for stability before he begins to flap strongly. The gusts he creates push against Asami until she's stumbling backward. Korra brings her girlfriend closer, trying to shield her from the sudden dust in the air.

Before they can even comprehend what is happening, a sharp _crack_ sounds from above them.

Several more cracks follow. Korra narrows her eyes to see what is happening. Vines snap, one after another, and the library jolts downward.

Wan Shi Tong is _bringing it down_.

The three humans scramble away from the open clearing and further into the forest. Korra keeps Mako and Asami behind her as she turns to face the library again, prepared to earthbend its stone exterior if she must. As it falls, she expects the building to plummet into the ground, to crash with a mighty explosion of debris. Korra can bend the air, make a sphere, to protect them —

But she doesn't need to, since it doesn't crash. As the library reaches their level, it slows, and the towers of the building _sink_ seamlessly into the ground as if magically displacing the earth below. With each movement of Wan Shi Tong's wings, the library sinks lower until the main rooftop of the building has settled snugly against the dirt.

None of the building has been damaged. It is as if the earth beneath the towers has disappeared upon impact, leaving the library partially buried neatly underground.

After Wan Shi Tong's flapping stops, all three have a hard time concealing their shock. The owl tucks his wings back against his sides. "This should make it easier for you to get inside," he states, composed as ever. "Fair warning: the gravitational effects within remain reversed, and will pull you skyward toward the original foundation of the building. I haven't the desire to properly orient the library at the moment."

At a loss for words, Korra nods shakily at the information he's shared. A reversal of _gravity_ within a specific building...? This world becomes more and more unbelievable by the day.

When Mako begins brushing off his clothes, Korra airbends everyone clear of dust.

Asami bows her thanks to Wan Shi Tong. "I appreciate that very much. How, may I ask, are you able to move the library around so easily?"

"I am its keeper, and shall bring it where ever it is needed," the spirit declares with an air of arrogance. "When a great flood occurred, I relocated the library to the Si Wong desert. When humans took advantage of my generosity, I sank it into the sand. Seventy-four years ago, when Avatar Aang and his friends continued to misuse my knowledge for violence, I brought this library to the spirit world with the hope that you humans might never bother me again." The knowledge spirit lowers his head slightly to look at Asami and friends more closely. "Meditating men still came to my library in spirit, pleading for entry. And now that the portals are open, I can expect more human visitors in corporeal form. Dealing with your kind is clearly unavoidable."

Humans visited the library while meditating? It doesn't seem so farfetched when Korra thinks about it, though—from the airbenders, to the Fire Sages, to the White Lotus elders and beyond, she knows many people meditate. Enlightened individuals might be able to bring themselves into the spirit world. For the bookish type, this library seems like the ultimate place to visit.

Korra finds the courage to step around the owl and approach the building. As she does so, the others follow her lead.

She reaches a hand out to touch the library's smooth exterior.

"That doesn't quite answer what she asked," Mako says, and Korra's fingers stop just inches away from the tan stone. It almost sounds as if Mako is accusing Wan Shi Tong of dodging Asami's question. "You moved the library from the human world to this world. Does that mean our realms are _physically_ connected? Does our desert connect to your sky?"

Wan Shi Tong isn't insulted by Mako's insinuation, but his response isn't the most amicable, either. "You humans are so obsessed with the physical. You perceive things as real or not real based only upon what you observe."

"Testing the observable is science, to us," says Asami, "and only through observation can we discern what is real and true. Is it not the same here? Are there no universal laws governing this realm?"

Wan Shi Tong sighs, exasperated, like a mother badgered with ceaseless inquiries from her children. "When you base your expectations on what you see, you blind yourself to the possibilities. To answer your original question, Miss Sato: separation of all things is an illusion. Our worlds are connected just as _everything_ is connected. Men and spirits are bound reciprocally. To separate one from the other is impossible, no matter how much some of us may desire the distance."

The outer wall of the library is cool to the touch. As Korra's fingers slide over the cemented gaps between the bricks, she tries to make sense of what the owl has said.

If he could bring an entire building from one world to the next by merely flapping his wings and sinking it into a sea of sand, maybe things really are not what they seem. Each world is eternally bound to its brother. Korra thinks of how she healed Mako, both his body and his spirit, and how they were honestly not that different from one another. They were separate and yet one. The physical and spiritual are simply two sides of the same coin.

There is more at play in this world than Korra can even begin to comprehend. Humanity's collective knowledge of the truth does not even begin to scratch the surface, does it?

"Avatar Korra," Wan Shi Tong calls, urging her to look at him again. "As the bridge between our worlds, I suggest you research what ties the two together. It's apparent you still have much to learn."


End file.
